Promises to Keep
by Reilly Sparcs-Malfoy
Summary: Letting go is the hardest thing to do, they say...but, once you've done that, what about going back? D/G after Hogwarts angst...let the painful past repeat itself.
1. Preface

Promises to Keep

**Preface**

**This is going to be a Draco/Ginny fic, based on the song The Hardest Thing by 98º. It is several years after Hogwarts, and Ginny is with Harry. Life seems to be going good and smooth…until the past is revisited.**

DISCLAIMER: All material (meaning characters save Monica and ideas of magic) are belonging to Ms. J.K. Rowling…sadly, I am not the genius behind the Harry Potter stories. The song and its lyrics belong to the band 98º and its associates…sadly, I am not behind the genius of this piece of songwriting either. Further, there are some lines that I stole from Lord of the Rings (the movie)…sorry, but they were just so perfect I couldn't resist. So those lines belong to all the LotR people. All mentions of these items in this story and its chapters is disclaimed HERE. So don't sue me.

We both know that I shouldn't be here  
This is wrong  
And baby it's killin' me, it's killin' you  
Both of us tryin' to be strong  
I've got somewhere else to be  
Promises to keep  
Someone else who loves me  
And trusts me fast asleep  
I've made up my mind  
There is no turning back  
She's been good to me  
And she deserves better than that  
  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to do  
To look you in the eye  
And tell you I don't love you  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to lie  
To show no emotion  
When you start to cry  
I can't let you see  
What you mean to me  
When my hands are tied  
And my heart's not free  
We're not meant to be  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to do  
To turn around and walk away  
Pretending I don't love you  
  
I know that we'll meet again  
Fate has a place and time  
So you can get on with your life  
I've got to be cruel to be kind  
Like Dr. Zhivago  
All my love I'll be sending  
And you will never know  
'Cause there can be no happy ending  
  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to do  
To look you in the eye  
And tell you I don't love you  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to lie  
To show no emotion  
When you start to cry  
I can't let you see  
What you mean to me  
When my hands are tied  
And my heart's not free  
We're not meant to be  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to do  
To turn around and walk away  
Pretending I don't love you  
  
Maybe another time, another day  
As much as I want to, I can't stay  
I've made up my mind  
There is no turning back  
She's been good to me  
And she deserves better than that  
  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to do  
To look you in the eye  
And tell you I don't love you  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to lie  
To show no emotion  
When you start to cry  
I can't let you see  
What you mean to me  
When my hands are tied  
And my heart's not free  
We're not meant to be  
It's the hardest thing  
I'll ever have to do  
To turn around and walk away  
Pretending I don't love you

Sometimes sacrifices must be made…keep caution in your mind but love in your heart.


	2. I Just Move On

Promises to Keep

A/N: This fic is the result of a random bit of inspiration…I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for your time. ^_^

            _*Graduation, Class of Harry Potter*_

_            "You're leaving now."_

_            It was a statement and a question to which there was already an answer. " I'm leaving school, yes. That's what graduation is all about. But that doesn't mean things have to change all that much, I mean, you only have a year left, and—"_

_            "It's been a dream, Draco."_

_            "I know, Gin."_

_            "Only a dream."_

_            This stopped him. He was confused, and hurt. "Ginny…what do you…how can you say that?"_

_            She took a deep breath. The pain in his eyes only made this more difficult. "You've been everything I could have possibly wanted, and more, even…but there's just so much between us, it could never work, and I just—"_

_            "Don't say it. You don't need to." His voice had hardened a bit. Looking at her face more carefully, he saw how much agony this was causing her as well and he softened. "Look, Lovelet," he said, using her pet name. "I can see how hard it must be to think of all the things we'd have to face: my father, your brother, you being at school and me at work…but I won't let them come between us. I promise you, I will never let Us fall apart unless you didn't want it to be." She was quiet, and he searched her eyes, desperately hoping to find an answer._

_            "It's more than that. You've protected me, and I love that, but…I think I need some time to grow up, and get experience. Not necessarily as in more boyfriends," she added hastily, "but just in life in general. With you there, I would be too…distracted," she said with a sad smile. _

_            "Oh," he replied softly. There really wasn't anything else he could say, and the anguish reflected in his face. It tore her apart thinking that she had caused this._

_            Her eyes started to cloud over. "Draco, please…please don't think I want to do this. There's other stuff, I just…just can't tell you, and I love you…" She fell apart here. Despite the oceans she had cried the night before, her sobs came as heavily as ever. He held her close to him, rocking her back and forth gently as he had countless other times. Only, this time he didn't try to kiss away her tears._

_            "I love you too, Gin. And I always will. I promise."_

_            They walked back together without holding hands. She was looking down, hoping to avoid drawing attention to her red eyes. As they neared the lake, she ran to her mum, wanting nothing more than to escape the pain they felt, together and so far apart. He sighed, refusing to let tears fall in public. His mum caught his eye from the other side of the reception tent, looking at him inquisitively. He gave her a weak smile, and she gave him a "We'll talk later" look. He nodded slightly and left the tent, intending to look across the lake at the giant squid's tentacles one last time as a student. _

_            He reached the lake and stood there, just watching the sunlight reflect off the ripples being caused by the squid's antics. He couldn't move; just moments before, every emotion in the world had run through him, leaving him standing there numb. He loved her; it was that simple for once in his life. There was no working to be something that he wasn't, no hiding the truth, and no caring that what he did would be wrong. With her, he had been free. And now They were over. _

_             He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Opening them, he found tears starting to come. He smiled bitterly and laughed softly to himself. He wouldn't let them fall. Not yet. To distract himself, he stuck his hands in his pockets, searching for something to take his mind off her just a little bit._

_            His left hand connected with something small and hard. He remembered something he had forgotten and felt his shoulders sag involuntarily. He pulled it out and looked at it. It was a small box made of dragon hide. He opened it and gazed sadly at the diamond ring inside. There was no use for it anymore. _

_            A part of him told him to keep it, because he had promised he would never let Them fall apart until she wanted it to be so, and she had said that she didn't. But another part of him told him to just let go, because it was inevitable that they would grow apart. He gave into this voice with another heavy sigh, and threw the ring into the lake, trying to cast away his grief with it. It was no use to keep the ring for another. It belonged to her alone; like his heart.  _

_             "Draco?"_

_            He turned around, quickly stuffing the empty box back into his pocket. "Hey, Blaise."_

_            "Hey," she said, smiling shyly as she approached. "Are you okay?"_

_            "What? Oh. Yeah, I'm…I'm fine," he said, wanting her to go away. _

_            "Are you sure? Listen, let's take a walk, okay? We can talk," she said, getting close to him. He saw the hope in her face, and forced a smile._

_            "Sure."_

_            She watched him walk away with the raven-haired girl and closed her eyes. She turned away before opening them again, not wishing to see him anymore. "Damn you, Zabini," she whispered. "You'd better be glad I saw you almost kill yourself because of me."_

_            The memory of Blaise standing on a ledge in the window of the astronomy tower was still as clear as ever. She had loved Draco too, and Ginny always put the feelings of others before her own. Sometimes, though, she wished she didn't._

*Now – 9 Years Later*

            "Hermione! Since when?!" 

            "Oh…last week, I think, but I only found out for sure today."

            "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" 

            "Because I wanted to be sure before I wanted it spread around!"

            Ginny Weasley opened her mouth in protest. "I would not spread it!" Hermione gave her a look. Ginny thought for a moment, then grinned apologetically. "Okay…so maybe I would. But still…oh, well, it doesn't matter. Congratulations!" she exclaimed and leaned forward to hug her best friend.

            The two women sat in happy silence for a moment, Hermione scraping the last of the fudge out of her now-empty ice cream dish, Ginny slurping at the remains of her raspberry-mint milkshake.

            "I'm so glad this finally happened, you know," Ginny said through a mouthful of milkshake. "You two've really been married since fourth year, you know. Could've had kids three years ago instead of wasting time on a wedding!"

            "Hey!" Hermione exclaimed, playfully swatting at Ginny. "None of that out of you, little sister."

            "Well, you know it's true!" Ginny protested. Hermione shrugged and nodded agreeably. Sighing, Ginny glanced at the large pink clock above the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour sign. "Now, where have those boys gone to? 'Just a minute in Quality Quidditch Supplies,' yeah, sure, Ron."

            It was Hermione's turn to sigh here. "You know them…always on as if they were still sixteen. Doesn't even occur to Ron that he's a husband now, let alone the fact that he's going to have a child in nine months. No sense of responsibility," she muttered.

            "But you love him," Ginny grinned.

            "I do, and I always have, and I always will," Hermione said, trying to sound offhand, but not succeeding. Ginny could see the dreamy look in her eyes and shook her head, attempting to hide her jealous smile. Hermione caught it and raised an eyebrow. " What's that face all about? You're not exactly single and lonely yourself, you know."

            "I know," Ginny replied quietly. "He's a terrific boyfriend; I'm amazingly lucky for that. Just…honestly, we've been together, what, five years? Almost six years? We're bloody living together and he still doesn't seem interested in moving forward with the relationship!"  

            "Frustrating, isn't it?" Hermione said with a knowing smile. "Trust me…I've felt your pain. I mean, really, it took Ron two years just to ask me out! And he had known for quite a while that I felt the same! Have you told Harry you want to move on in the relationship?"

            Ginny shook her head. "No, not yet. I mean…I guess I'm probably not ready, and I've really always dreamed of the guy being the one to make all the first moves. And besides, I don't want to scare him off."

            "Scare me? Oh no, Ginny, you didn't burn down the flat, did you?" Harry said, having finally arrived. Ron was beside him, and both of them were carrying a ridiculous amount of bags.

            "Ron Weasley, I hope not all of those have quidditch supplies in them," Hermione said, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. 

            " 'Mione, dearest, how have you been?" Ron exclaimed as if he hadn't seen her in years. He leaned forward and kissed her. "Feeling all right?"

            "Of course I am! Ooh, they are all quidditch things, aren't they?" she said, sounding somewhere near furious. "What am I going to do with you?"

            "Absolutely nothing, I mean come now. You're in a very delicate state right now!" Ron said, winking at Harry.

            "Delicate, what – I'm not delicate, I – Ron! Just because I'm going to have a baby doesn't mean I'm made of glass!" Hermione sputtered. "Oh, and, I take it Ron told you, eh, Harry?"

            "Yeah, he did. Congratulations, 'Mione," Harry said, hugging her. 

            "Hmph…not made of glass. Well, in that case, you can carry some of these," Ron said cheerfully, shoving several bags at her.

            "I think not! I'll have nothing to do with that stuff. And besides, I have my own things to carry," Hermione responded, putting on a very dignified face. 

            "Is that so, eh? Well, we'll see about that," Ron replied. He promptly dropped his bags and began tickling his wife furiously. Ginny watched them, laughing as Hermione tried to squirm away, then called to her and Harry for help. 

            Harry grinned at Ginny. "You'd better be glad I'm not about to tickle you," he said.

            "And why is that?" Ginny asked, a bit put out that he didn't feel like playing.

            "Because then we wouldn't be able to help Hermione, and she would kill us. Or me, at least, for distracting you, and then where would you be?" Harry answered, giving her a superior look.

            "Well, I'd still be here, but I'd be minus a load of trouble, and I'd have some new free quidditch supplies…"Ginny began slowly. Harry immediately dropped his bags and began tickling her. Within minutes, though, all four had stopped at the request of Florean Fortescue himself. (Their yelps had been scaring away the customers, apparently.) Still chuckling happily, they picked up their newly acquired possessions and headed for a quieter place the alley in which they could say their good-byes and Apparate home in peace.

            "So…"

            "So."

            "Um…how's your espresso?" Draco asked, stalling for time.

            "Fine. Cute place, isn't this?" Blaise replied, smiling smoothly at him. She seemed to know what was going through his head, but very politely said nothing to hint at it.

            "Yeah…this is where I come with Mother on our monthly mother-son outings," he answered, feeling that by giving off useless bits of personal information, he could make time to think about how he was going to do this.

            "Really? Well…I should have guessed that, I suppose. After all, the place is decorated entirely in your mother's style," Blaise said with a grin. The two were seated in a private corner of a relatively new coffee shop, Malvagio's.

            "You better believe it is. Mother was close to the owner's little sister, Lascura, when they were in Hogwarts. They stayed friends, and before you know it, Lascura hears that Mom's single again, and boom! She's fixing her up with her older brother, Elforte," Draco said, not without some bitterness. Blaise felt this and took his hand.

            "Hey, hon," she said gently, "You know she loves you. I mean, yeah, she has a boyfriend now, but…you're always her son. She's always been there to love you, right? And after all, she put up with me for taking you away from her," she added when his face didn't soften. "So give her a break. She'll have a little fun, and settle down again like the Mrs. Malfoy I've always known."

            Draco swallowed. "Yes, I suppose so…except she'll come back then as Mrs. Malvagio."

            "Well…it's possible, I suppose, but…" Blaise bit her lip. She wasn't sure what to say to this in order to make him feel better.

            "Hey, don't worry about that," Draco said, finally ready. "You know, there's something I want you to do to help me with that matter…" he added, grinning devilishly at her.

            "Er…well, I'll try my best," Blaise replied, worried that he may be setting her to an impossible task.

            "Really? Well then, that's a relief…but hey, are you sure you want to do it?"

            "Draco…" Blaise said, tightening her grip on his hand in exasperation, "I love you. Honestly…if you don't know that by now, I don't know how else to tell you! And, with that love, comes the fact that I will do my best to make you happy, okay?"

            "Okay. Good. Well then," Draco said, and reached into his pocket. "You see, now that my mother will most likely give up the title of Mrs. Malfoy, and as my grandmother is dead, someone needs to carry on with the name." Here he paused, and clasped her hand with both of his, putting the soft velvet box into it. "I just was hoping you'd do me the favor of taking it up." There…he had gotten it out finally.

            Blaise's eyes widened in surprise. "Draco, I…I…"

            "I understand if you want to say no," he quickly said, trying not to give in to the feeling of his heart sinking into oblivion.

            "No! I mean, not no! I mean…okay…I mean, yes, I will take the title. I mean, I'll marry you. Oh, stop laughing!" Blaise answered in a rush.

            "I love you, Beezy," Draco said, leaning in to kiss her quickly on the cheek. "I'm glad you accepted.

            "Well, of course I did," she grumbled, trying to hide her smile. "I was actually going to ask you myself if you didn't soon. It's about time, after all!"

            "I suppose," Draco said thoughtfully. "I guess we have been together for a while."

            Blaise snorted. "A while…it's been 8 years!"

            Draco thought about this for a moment. "Well, I didn't want to rush things," he answered slowly. "I wanted to make sure you were…the one."

            Blaise frowned at this, and turned away from him, looking off as if remembering something that was better off forgotten. 

            "If it doesn't please you, you can always reconsider," Draco added stiffly, sensing her discomfort. At this, she whipped her head back to face him.

            "No," she said quickly. "I love you. I love you so much, and you know that. I was just distracted for a moment." Seeing as this did nothing to soften his features, she leaned forward and gave him a reassuring kiss. They smiled at each other. "Promise me you'll never leave me."

            He stiffened again, this time internally. So many memories came flooding back to him, needed yet uninvited, wanted but forbidden. He had already made a promise like that, only felt with every fiber of his being, and much stronger than this one could ever be. He couldn't make that promise; yet he had already broken the other one.

            "Draco? Are you…reconsidering?" Blaise asked carefully, defeating the silence.

            "No, Love," he replied, shaking his head to clear his mind. "I was just…distracted." He gave her what could be called a shadow of his old, frosty smile, and she was frozen for a moment by it. "I promise I will never leave you."

A/N: GAHHHH!!!! Stupid Draco, stupid Ginny…these people! What is this world coming to? Okay…in the next chapter, we get inside their minds…get a peek at what's going on…and perhaps in this one they'll see each other, too…maybe talk??? Well, I'm not going to make any PROMISES…I honestly don't know if I can keep them. So, REVIEW!!! People like me need encouragement. Hope you enjoyed it! 

**Thank you for your time.   -------------------------------------------------------Tora Q.**


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